How is everyone??? I am doing great! We had some really funny experiences this week, haha, I love it. Especially the super awkward moments...😅 I'll start with that one first. So we were knocking either yesterday or the day before (can't remember!) and we knock into this sweet middle aged woman who is an active Christian and accepts a prayer. We find out that she is visiting taking care of her mother who had a scare a few days ago and just got out of the hospital yesterday. Perfect! We would love to pray for her mom as well! So I start praying with this woman, and we can feel the spirit, its awesome, and then her recuperating mother opens the front door and says weakly, "I need you" and pulls her daughter back inside, and I hadn't ended the prayer yet and I open my eyes and the lady apologizes, goes inside and shuts the door... um, what just happened?? It was so awkward, you don't even know! That has never happened to me or to sister Colton, I was literally praying and then she left right smack dab in the middle of it, ha, oh man. After she closed the door sister Colton and I looked at each other and I quietly said, "In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen" Hahaha, so funny!!! So, new knocking adventures 8 months in, gotta love it!
We found 7 new investigators this week! I love it when we hit our weekly goal!!! It was awesome! So last week I mentioned Ayman, right? So we got to teach him with our member Hope, who is going up to BYUI in the fall and planning on serving a mission! She is awesome, ha, we will have to get a picture before they leave. Anyways, His english is spotty, so we are not sure how much of the lesson he understood, BUT we brought it up in ward council and the ward clerk, Brother Gertler (who is affectionately called "the candy man" by the ward because he is always handing out little chocolates to people) ordered a Book of Mormon in Arabic for him! We showed Ayman the Gospel Library, and it has some stuff translated into Arabic, but we didn't see the scriptures, mainly just the ensign and conference and whatever else, but we will get there! We met his wife yesterday when we knocked on their door to see why they didn't make it to church, and she is looking for a church to attend as well! Ayman is back at work now though, and she said he works from 10am to sometimes midnight, and his only day off is monday, which is our day off, so... we will see what happens. I've sacrificed an hour of Pday before to meet and teach, and I know God blesses us for the sacrifice!
We also went and taught part of the Restoration to our potentials turned 'Gators Jane and her 11 year old grandson AJ! They are awesome, but she is so talkative! Holy cow can she talk! She loves us, though, and we helped her hang up a cross above her door, so we are basically family! Haha (Our member/ recent RM Mark (Hope's older brother) came with us and sister Colton and I didn't really want to hang up the cross, so Mark did it, ha, he said something along the lines of "one more crazy story!" When she wasn't in the room, of course! The cross itself has a pretty funny story too, ha, this lady is a crack up. So back in Palm Beach where they were living before they moved here, she had a roommate who they liked but then Jane started to feel a little creeped out by her and finally her roommate moved out. Right as she left, Jane ran out to their Oak tree in the backyard and cut down two sticks and made it into a cross, and put it above her door. Her friend then told her to throw some salt by the front door, because she was still feeling uneasy, so she did!! Hahaha, you have to hear her tell the story, its HILARIOUS!!!)
We had a blitz this past Saturday, which is when the other missionaries from our district and the zone leaders come and we all knock someones area, and we knocked ours because they all work in the same area, haha, plus we probably need the help :) Our district leader and one of the elders from the Rio Vista west area(I was Rio Vista East, ah Spanish..) taught a full resto and we have two new investigators!!! Blitz miracles!!!
Okay, so on last P-Day we tested out our Ice Cream Maker, but we used a recipe her mom sent her but we didn't have the measurement for the milk, so we guessed two cups of milk when we put over 2 and a half cups of sugar and 2 tablespoons of vanilla... lets just say it didnt turn out quite right, haha. We made it for the district and only the creole elders ate all of theirs ha. Sister Colton took a bite of hers and died laughing on the floor, which made me die laughing on the floor, too, haha. Ah, man, the fun never ends!!! I have had so much fun the last few transfers, its been so amazing!!! While also working hard, of course! I have learned that you are happiest when you are obedient and working hard, and I feel that I am finally developing a decent hard work ethic!
Sister Colton and I tried to cartwheel this week, too, and wow am I rusty! Ha.
Something that was really cool, is that on Sunday we had our Stake President give a training in ward council and then a talk in Sacrament. He shared the story of Alma the Elder and his people who split off from King Noah and were living righteously, and then an army of the Lamanites happens upon them and they fall into captivity, even though they were righteous. He expounded on how the people prayed in their hearts (they would be killed if they prayed out loud) and how the Lord promised that He would make their burdens light, not that He would take them away immediately. I have always loved that story, especially when it talks about how the people of Alma submitted cheerfully to their circumstances so that they could not feel their burdens even while they were on their backs. Later that evening we met with a member and a friend of theirs who is going through a really hard time, and we shared a part of what we had talked about that day with this young gentleman, and are going to continue to teach him later this week!
Cape Coral is awesome, I love the ward, the members, the sky is breathtaking EVERY DAY, and I am a missionary, a disciple of Jesus Christ, called to declare the truth and call people to Repentance! That was slightly dramatic, but I love it, because it is true! This is exactly where God needs me to be right now, and I encourage everyone to really think and ponder about where they are in their life, how they are doing on the path back to Heavenly Father, and maybe what changed you need to make in your life to get back on track. When we align our will with His, MILAGROS happen! I testify of that!
I love you all, have an amazing week!
Love,
Hermana Stokes
This is the cross we hung up, ha
Also, some Igrits that hang out in our back yard eating worms, and sometimes bread...;)
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